5 cars loaded with safety features

Safe cars for family driving

Whether you're the designated taxi driver for your precious cargo -- your family -- or your teen is getting behind the wheel for the first time, safety matters just as much as price when it comes to choosing a car.

Unfortunately, not all vehicles are created equally, which means some are safer than others. Unless you are an engineer, chances are you're not going to know the difference between one car's occupant protection and another's. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety compiles an annual list of the safest cars based on a series of crash tests. IIHS rates the vehicles on their performance in frontal crashes, side-impact smash-ups and rollover accidents. It also evaluates seat/head restraints for protection against rear crashes.

The annual rankings cover every vehicle segment, which means that whether you are looking for a lower-priced compact car or a large sport utility vehicle, there's a safe car for you. With that in mind, here's a look at five safe 2014 cars that are not only good in the event of an accident, but also good at avoiding one. Our descriptions include the manufacturer's suggested retail price and fuel economy in miles per gallon.

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While gas prices have dropped dramatically, the sales of diesel cars has continued to grow, rising 13.5 percent in 2014 over 2013, according to the latest data compiled by IHS Automotive for the Diesel Technology Forum.
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